San Francisco 49ers: Rookie RB James suiting up for first time; Jacobs, Manningham out

FILE - In this Aug. 10, 2012, file photo, San Francisco 49ers running back Brandon Jacobs carries against the Minnesota Vikings during the first quarter of an NFL preseason football game in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)

Running back LaMichael James is suiting up for the first time his rookie season. Meanwhile, two other prominent first-year 49ers (and ex-Giants) are not suiting up: running back Brandon Jacobs and wide receiver Mario Manningham.

James was inactive for the 49ers' first 12 games and hasn't been seen in uniform since sustaining an ankle injury during an Aug. 18 exhibition at Houston.

The 49ers drafted James in the second round out of Oregon, where he set program records while running for 5,082 yards and 53 touchdowns.

Wide receiver A.J. Jenkins, the 49ers' first-round draft pick this season, will be active for the third time and is expected to see his first snaps. He didn't play last Sunday at St. Louis nor in the season opener at Green Bay, the other two games he's been active.

Jacobs' benching shouldn't be too surprising. He turned to social media again this weekend to vent his frustration over a lack of playing time. Jacobs' only action this season came in the past two games: five carries for 7 yards.

Advertisement

Jacobs has ranted on Twitter often this season about his lack of action, and his latest gem came on Instagram when he replied to a fan: "I am on this team rotting away so why would I wanna put any pics up of anything that sayniners. This is by far the worst year I ever had, I'll tell you like I told plenty others."

That remark prompted angry retorts from 49ers fans, to which Jacobs replied through Twitter: "I don't understand why people are angry at me because I wanna do what I am paid to do, I am a competitive person, I think people should be mad if I didn't wanna play, but I forgot the people that's pissed they don't have a athletic bone and their body. As for all of my Instagram photos I don't have any niner pics, if you'll find me some pics I'll put them up."

* * *

Manningham did not practice Wednesday through Friday because of a shoulder injury he aggravated in last Sunday's loss at St. Louis.